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Archive for the ‘Not-for-Profit Resale’ Category

Consignment, resale, thrift stores: You ARE crowdsourcing, so market it as such!Great way to “update” the whole consign/ sell/ donate aspect of your business, don’t you think?

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To define it as crowdsourcing?

What is crowdsourcing?

Examples of crowdsourcing

How are some web sites using crowdsourcing?

Crowdsourcing provides businesses whether large or small, new or well established to have access to a group of people eager and willing to tackle tasks and projects. This untapped valuable resource will soon become the focal point of businesses around the world. —Scalableworkforce.com

How can you see using crowdsourcing in your business?

(For my off-the-top-of-my-head, best profit-making answer, roll your mouse over the photo. Then comment below about your thoughts!)

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See this video of ideas from a NFP thrift chain, Thrift Town, and see if it doesn’t spark a little push of holiday enthusiasm in your merchandising!

(Another of their videos. I’d create my own version of this for next December… with lyrics as captions. And maybe VIP customers? Wouldn’t that filming be a great WOM event?)

Flickr photo from 427

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TGtbT.com shares a fun idea to help promote nonprofit causesSaw this UNICEF idea, and immediately thought of all the NFP thrift stores I have worked with. One of their greatest challenges is bringing their cause’s needs to the forefront, having buying customers understand that the profits of the store go for very specific help.

That’s the idea behind the $300,000 t-shirt.

Can’t you just see a t with a big open mouth on it, to sell for the price of a dental check-up, or a toy, for a child’s stay in day care while her parent finds a job… or whatever your charitable cause involves? Since most NFPs have multiple outreach programs, you could create and sell several different “price-range” t’s… all the way up to one with your shop’s logo, which costs a year’s rent on your retail location (The $48,000 t, perhaps? Great hook for media attention!)

Get inspired!

See more ideas for NFPs here on Auntie Kate the Blog.

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Consignment shops help charities with consignment accounts, says TGtbT.comTis the season for charity. Your shoppers are thinking how they can help the less fortunate, and that’s a good thing.

But your customers are also thinking that actual cash money’s tight right now as they prepare for their holiday season.

Can you stretch out a local-awareness helping hand?

Of course you can. All it takes is for you to highlight the consignment accounts you already have set up. Through your advertising and your social media, including your blog, remind folks that they can donate goods to be placed in these accounts, and the charity receives that “real cash money” for their cause.

It wouldn’t hurt for you to mention that quality goods will get a better return in your boutique than they might in a thrift store, but you’d want to word that carefully to avoid hurting the legit local charities who don’t participate in your “consign for a cause” program or who have declined to be involved.

You can also be pro-active in making shoppers aware that their purchases directly help specific charities with a foyer sign showing them what to look for on your merchandise tags.

It’s one of those win-win-win solutions that we all love.

  • The charity wins because they make spendable cash without the retail overhead and volunteer commitment.
  • You win because the charitable hand you’ve extended polishes your reputable as a responsible local merchant.
  • The donor to the consignment account wins because, instead of having to think My X is too good to give to the thrift shop. They’d only get a buck or two out of it they can rely upon your professional skills to maximize their donation’s value to the charity. Or, if their cause is the food pantry and all they have to donate is a Missoni… they can, with your help, turn that Missoni into meals.
  • The shopper wins because you have offered her the opportunity to “vote with her wallet” by choosing the item which benefits a cause she supports.

Oh wait, that’s four wins. Why, that’s even better, isn’t it?

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A Too Good to be Threw Teeny Tip for Consignment, Thrift & Resale StoresTake a look at the button labeled “Yes of course” on

Casa de los Ninos NFP  thrift shop’s site. Click it too, to see the user experience. Update May 2012: Seems they have removed the necessary info for those who WANT to do what the charity WANTS them to do… location, hours, what they are unable to use. Oh, well, you know what to do, so do it. 😉

If you’re not a donations-only shop, how could you tweak this idea to encourage incoming consignments or sellers… and how great would it be to have these newbies already feel a fun connection to your shop?

Don’t you think this is brilliant?

I do. Tell us when you add the same idea to your site, so we can admire it!

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